Bookham Fine Foods is a family run business based in the heart of Sussex. What sets us apart from the rest is our big picture mentality and pioneering spirit. Not only are we committed to producing top quality cheese, butter and pasta (Gold awards at the Great Taste Awards in each of the last five years are testament to this), we are devoted to the much broader concept of forging links between primary and secondary producers. This reaches far beyond the simple concept of local sourcing and is as much about endeavouring to preserve our rural heritage for generations to come.
In 2007, we started making a new cheese, SUSSEX CHARMER, with R.Harrisons & Sons from Rudgwick, a family at the forefront of dairy farming in Sussex since 1928. The project was set up in an effort to safeguard the art of local cheesemaking, as well as the region’s dairy farming tradition. It is a sobering fact that over the last five years, this country has been losing its dairy farmers at the rate of three a day. The Bookham Harrison partnership is determined that the sight of cows in a field be preserved for all our grandchildren to enjoy.
Our other noteworthy project was the growing on home soil of durum wheat for the fresh pasta we make. To this end, we had been working closely with Flanchford Farm in Surrey, who had grown especially for us sixty acres of durum wheat. This we hoped to have milled traditionally on the Isle of Wight, thereby strengthening the future of each of the businesses involved, while at the same time reducing our dependence as pasta makers on precarious foreign imports.
In a nutshell then, Bookham Fine Foods is fiercely proud of its role in the wider fight to secure a local, sustainable network of primary and secondary producers, united by a common desire to preserve our individual traditions, as well as making us proud as a region of the food we eat.
A message from Rob Bookham.... My wife Claire and I are very proud to head such an amazing team, without whom we simply could not offer the quality of product and service that we do.
Michelle Blackwell heads our sales department, she is superb at looking after our customers and her attention to detail is second to none.
Paul Toni makes our sauces with tender loving care, he is so passionate about his sauce making; like an artist performing, we all have to give him plenty of space when he is creating each batch. He is the guy with the beard who can be found at many of our farmers' markets and shows throughout the year.
Then we have our pasta making team, comprising of my son Ben with our ever diligent girls Jolanta, Julija. together they make a great team with attention to detail. They take a great pride in their production and are constantly striving to produce the best possible products
Our Mission Statement:
To give primary producers the route to market by producing quality products, at affordable prices, sourcing as many ingredients as possible locally and according to season. We also aim to provide the consumer with as much information about the traceability of our ingredients as we can, so that they can have total confidence in what they are eating. Our pasta range also aims to meet the needs of time-poor consumers who want meals that are quick and simple to prepare. Indeed, our fresh pasta is the ultimate in quality fast food! We aim to create convenience foods that offer authenticity, are a bit more adventurous and have an international appeal.
We are keen to offer our customers the best service and value for money and to this end we welcome any comments that will help us achieve this goal.
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